Golden Sixty stole the show by winning the Group One Hong Kong Mile for a record-equalling third time at Sha Tin on Sunday as local horses dominated the Hong Kong International Races.
Racing for the first time since April, the eight-year-old ridden by Vincent Ho Chak-yiu blew his rivals away down the straight to finish well clear of Voyage Bubble in second.
“He’s a monster. When I asked him for effort, he lengthened like I can’t believe — he’s still got that turn of foot. It’s crazy,” Ho said.
Golden Sixty, in the first run of what shapes as his farewell season, joined Good Ba Ba as a three-time winner, improving his record to 26 wins from 30 starts and 10 Group One successes.
Lucky Sweynesse didn’t disappoint either, with the city’s premier speedster living up to his hot favouritism to lead home a local trifecta in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint over 1,200 metres.
The Zac Purton-ridden Lucky Sweynesse saw off runner-up Lucky With You and reigning Sprint champion Wellington to become the first horse to win Hong Kong’s four Group One sprints in the same calendar year.
“He deserved that. He’s been our best sprinter for the last year and he was able to atone for last year,” Purton said of Lucky Sweynesse, who had a luckless run in the same race a year ago.
Romantic Warrior made it back-to-back wins in the city’s richest race with victory in the HK$36 million ($4.6 million) Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), making it a trifecta of local winners on Sha Tin’s biggest day.
“I’m so proud of this horse. He’s the best horse,” jockey James McDonald said.
The win rounded off an enormous 2023 for Romantic Warrior that included victory in October’s Group One Cox Plate (2,040m) in Melbourne.
“He’s one of the toughest horses I’ve ever ridden, that’s what makes him so special. He’s so easy to ride and he’s got a heart as big as a lion. He’s had the trip to Australia — this is his best win,” McDonald said.
France earlier posted its first victory at the carnival since 2014 in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), with the familiar combination of Andre Fabre and Maxime Guyon delivering the goods with Junko.
Fabre and Guyon won the 2014 Vase with Flintshire.
